Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the field of home automation, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for affecting a virtual smart phone controlled smart home demonstration.
Description of the Related Art
At this point in history, so-called smart home automation devices are being developed and fielded at such a rapid pace that new devices appear on the market every single day. Because of the proliferation of low-power wireless network and smart phone technologies, it is presently not uncommon to find home and business owners in possession of smart home devices such as wireless lights, music systems, door locks, thermostats and alarm systems. And wireless white goods are just over the horizon. Five years from now, it is expected that the average consumer will own five to ten smart home devices.
While there are many challenges associated with fielding and operation of smart home devices, this application focuses on the problems associated with educating consumers and the sales force about the usage and benefits of smart home devices. Outside of web sites that provide technical information and animations of these types of devices, presently there are only two ways that a potential consumer or representative may actually see how these devices are used. The first is at a live demonstration, such as a tradeshow, where potential users are allowed to use the devices in a set up smart home environment. And while this is the best way to “test drive” these devices, it certainly doesn't reach a very wide audience for only a select few people attend tradeshows.
The only other way that a potential user may experience a smart home environment is to view a video of a live demonstration. And while video demonstrations clearly reach a much wider audience than live demonstrations, they don't provide the viewers of the demonstration with a “hands on” experience.
Accordingly, what is needed is a technique that enables a potential user to experience the use of one or more smart home devices in a smart home environment, where the experience is perfected in a virtual simulation.
In addition, what is needed is a mechanism that allows a potential user in possession of a computer and a smart phone to easily download a virtual smart home environment to the computer, and to use virtualized devices in the smart home environment by employing an app on their smart phone.